Chapter 5.2 Romantic Chenho (1)
Although he dodged the incoming attack, his neck was stiff cold.
He did save himself from the attack but this time it was really close.
He cannot remain still any longer.
After the successful block using the shield, Yoon Seok swung his sword reflexively. However, his sword was met with nothing, it was as if his opponent vanished.
That man was already two steps away.
‘I need to stop charging at him. Right now, holding this shield is getting more and more annoying.’
Yoon Seok felt his shoulders were getting heavier with every breath.
But his strong opponent changed his mind and fiercely charged towards him.
‘No, I don’t think you should…’
Yoon Seok, who was on the edge; collecting himself, saw the man swinging his sword aggressively at him.
Just like the first time, nothing has changed. Both stood on their ground, him below while his opponent standing above.
Blocking the attack with his shield, Yoon Seok swung his sword forward at the man.
At the same time, the man repelled the attack using his sword.
And soon after, there came a difference in their tedious routine.
Aakk!
The burly man instead of charging with his sword used his foot.
Yoon Seok, being his first battle with weapons, was primarily focused on the movement of the sword, met with a great physical force.
The foot met in his stomach, the only blindspot that couldn’t be covered by the shield, it was defenceless.
“Umph!”
The impact was out of his imagination, Yoon Seok was shocked to his core, to the point he almost let go his sword and shield.
He could feel his organs being displaced in a way they shouldn’t, screaming in protest.
It was hard to breathe properly, but there was no time to be absent-minded.
Yoon Seok desperately raised his shield.
Without missing any moment, this time the man charged forward with his sword.
Kang!
Once again, his shield was met with a strong force.
The impact completely crushed Yoon Seok as he tried to use all his strength to hold the shield, collapsing his posture.
But, the man didn’t give a chance to get a hold of himself.
The man charged at him with his sword, missing no beat.
Yoon Seok had no choice but to lift his sword for protection and thought.
Doesn’t matter how many times he stops these attacks, he can’t guarantee what will happen the next time. He knew if he let go of his posture or collapsed due to impact, he wouldn’t be able to stop the man.
‘This is the only chance I have!’
Yoon Seok made a quick yet accurate decision.
He threw his shield towards his opponent. With such action, the man was perplexed as he didn’t expect the shield to be used as a disposable.
Not missing the chancet, Yoon Seok charged forward and thrust his sword.
Then…
Kacha!
His shape blade made a cut on the man’s flesh.
For the first time did Yoon Seok succeed.
However, due to having no opening, he couldn’t give the man any fatal injury.
He could only stab the side of his abdomen.
Soon, Yoon Seok continued to display attacks one after the other, but the man swiftly stepped back and widened the distance between them.
And now there was a pause from both parties.
‘The shield! I’ll need to pick it up!’
This was the only chance he had to pick up his shield.
He must get hold of his shield before the man narrows the distance between them again.
Just as Yoon Seok bent over to pick up the shield.
His sixth sense heightened and warned him.
“…?”
His instinct took over his body even before his mind could register.
Yoon Seok suddenly stepped back, almost in a streak he was meters away, getting away from the slash. The blade was so fast and all happened in a flash cutting through his shadows.
‘I was dead there. If not for my quick judgement, my head would be rolling on the ground.’
The man in front was genuinely surprised by his quick movement.
Though dodging the blade didn’t make Yoon Seok happy at all.
If he was a little late, the dual would have ended.
He only tried to retrieve his shield but was met with a violent death.
Yoon Seok gave up on it.
‘Let’s give up the shield.’
In this duel, they both are observing one another for an opening; for a fatal strike.
He had no chance to pick up the shield that he once discarded.
“Throwing the shield was a good tactic. Use about anything that’s in the hand… It reminds me of when I first entered this world.”
The man seemed to be quite relaxed even though blood was profusely dripping from his side.
Does he even feel pain?
Thinking about it, Yoon Seok couldn’t help but shake his head.
It wasn’t that.
Of course, he was in pain.
The difference between them was the man had experienced pain before.
Suddenly, the difference between them started to increase.
Mentally intimidated; Yoon Seok unconsciously stepped back.
‘There’s no way I can win…’
Their physical level might be equal, but that doesn’t take away that man’s superiority in skills.
Nevertheless, Yoon Seok was able to withstand it until now, only because he was levelheaded enough to use his shield.
But now it was gone.
And all he had left was the sword.
Looking at the blade, it seems to be much sharper than before.
‘Sh**, I’m gonna die…’
Perhaps death is unavoidable.
Even if the coin resurrects him, the pain was inevitable.
And that fact was enough to scare Yoon Seok.
“Boy, did you forget about me?”
The man asked him. Yet knowing that’s not likely.
His opponent’s eyes were filled with disappointment.
Seeing the familiar look, Yoon Seok couldn’t help but recall a terrible memory.
—Hey, loser.
Kang Hyung-woo’s voice could be heard from somewhere far away.
Like a trained dog, Yoon Seok suddenly was frozen stiff.
—You’ve had several chances to fight back.
He’s right.
If Yoon Seok wanted to confront, he could have, he had several chances in his hand.
But he didn’t.
It was because he thought he could never win.
“Y-you’re taller than me and you’ve learned boxing. Argh, you had the talent!”
—Don’t you get it? You have the talent too.
“….”
After he was thrown here, Yoon Seok vaguely felt it too.
Maybe his talent is superior to Kang Hyung-woo.
Previously, he didn’t know because he never tried it out.
But him being timid, he still had another excuse.
“B-but if I did, my parents would…”
—A**hole, do you remember when I was struck by my father, when I was a student?
“….”
If he remembered correctly, it must have happened when he was young.
—Though when I got to know about it was late, I never expected it.
When they were freshmen in high school.
—Do you know how surprised I was? I never thought you’d rebel, I thought, I perfectly tamed you.
Harassment against Yoon Seok was getting out of hand, so he told everyone about it. Making Kang Hyung-woo step down for a while.
He thought that their ill-fated relationship was over.
But around that time, his father’s factory had a massive fire accident.
Fortunately, thanks to the JC Group, Yoon Seok’s family was spared from debt…
And again he was chained to the leash.
—You know, what?
Kang Hyung-woo said.
Yoon Seok knew that face wasn’t there, but the familiar face of ridicule was stuck in his head.
—By the way, I was the one who turned that factory into ash.
Something stirred in the pits of his stomach.
Something bleak and dark.